Nevada Grants and Scholarships

Applying for college can be a scary experience. Once you have been accepted however, it is scary to wonder how you are going to pay for it. In these tough economic times, it is important to know what things are available to those seeking financial assistance so that they can receive an education.

The state of Nevada offers many opportunities for college students to receive both grants and scholarships to help them pay for college.

Overview of Grants and Scholarships

Grants are given by non-profit organizations and corporations. The government also has grant money available to be given out to students. Grants often require some form of service from the receiver.

A student can approach a possible donor, and the donor can offer them grant money on the condition that the student help complete a project. Grants are not necessarily given to those going to college; they can be received by those who are starting a business.

Scholarships, on the other hand, require students to meet certain qualifications before receiving the money, and then scholarship money may be continued throughout schooling if certain requirements continue to be met. Students requesting scholarship money are often required to have a certain GPA, and may also be required to fulfill certain educational duties during their first year of college. Scholarships are geared towards those attending college.

Before completing a grant or scholarship application, check to make sure the college you will be attending will accept it. Once accepted to a college, talk with the financial aid office to find out what programs you may be able to take advantage of.

If you are not sure yet where you will be attending, talk to a counselor or college advisor at your high-school and get some ideas of what you can do to start looking for financial help.

Nevada Grants

For those living in the state of Nevada, there are many grants available. The Nevada State Access Grant and the Nevada Grant-In-Aid both offer money to Nevada residents. These grants are both designed for those potential students who are in dire financial need.

They also offer an Out-of-State Grant-In-Aid grant, a very similar grant, but designed for those who do not live in the state. Many grants are specifically designed for those students who are studying in the Nevada State School System.

The Access Grant is for students attending both undergraduate and graduate school. The maximum amount offered to the grantees is $3,000 for a graduate student and $2,500 for an undergraduate student.

However, there are some factors that are taken into consideration before grant money is given out. The amount given varies according to the students’ specific needs, the costs of the students’ education, and how much money is available to be given out.

The Nevada Grant-In-Aid is offered to students based on need, but there are other factors to be considered as well. Those with higher academic qualifications are given grant money first, as well as those who have applied early. Money is also given earlier to those who are seeking this grant money for schooling to obtain their first undergraduate degree.

Nevada Scholarships

There are several different scholarships available for anyone who would like to attend college. In the State of Nevada, there are many opportunities to receive one or more of these to help pave the financial road to a higher education.

Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship

The Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship is one of the most popular scholarship programs in Nevada. This money is given through the State Treasurer’s Office, and is given to those students who have shown exceptional academic promise.

These students then need to enroll in an approved college, and enroll in a program that will allow them to obtain an associate degree, a baccalaureate degree, or a pre-baccalaureate certificate, and they must already have a major course of study in mind. There is no application process; names of eligible students are given by school districts to the State Treasurer’s Office, then the recipients are chosen from those names and will receive notification in the mail.

To be considered for eligibility, a student needs to have a 3.25 GPA in high-school and have been a Nevada resident for at least the last two years of high-school. Eligibility can then be continued throughout the college career, as long as certain requirements are met. The amount of money awarded varies depending on whether a student is studying at a community college or a state college, but may not exceed $10,000 for the complete undergraduate coursework.

Journalism Awards & Scholarships

There are also some specialized scholarships, designed for students in a specific field of study. The APTRA-Clete Roberts Memorial Scholarship Journalism Award and the Kathryn Dettman Journalism Scholarship each offer $1500 to a student whose major will be Broadcast Journalism.

Both of these scholarships are only offered to students who are currently enrolled in college and interested in a career in some aspect of broadcast news. Scholarships are awarded based on previous academic success, financial necessity, and journalism career goals. The application can be downloaded online, but must be mailed in by the required deadline.

Nevada’s Women’s Fund Scholarship

The Nevada’s Women’s Fund Scholarship is geared towards helping women in Northern Nevada get financial help for their education. Scholarships are given in amounts of $50-$5000, and can be received by both graduate and undergraduate students, as well as those pursuing a program at a vocational school. To continue eligibility, students must take at least six credits each semester.

This scholarship is generally not offered to high-school seniors, as there are many opportunities for them to receive scholarships and grants. Under extraordinary circumstances, a student just leaving high-school may be offered a Women’s Fund Scholarship, and those in dire need of money are encouraged to apply. Prospective recipients can apply online, or can pick up an application in the financial aid office of some major Nevada Universities that accept this scholarship. The application can then be hand-delivered or mailed in.

Robert Byrd

The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program awards $1500 dollars each to between forty and sixty Nevada residents who are students in an undergraduate program. This scholarship awards money to students who have shown academic achievement in their high-school studies, and who show promise for academic achievement in future studies at an undergraduate institution. This is a federally funded scholarship.

To apply for this scholarship, students need to request an application package from the State Education Agency in their residential state, as all applications go through this agency in each state.

Shopko Stores

Shopko Stores offer the Shopko Scholars Program, which awards up to $1000 to several students each year. To be eligible, an applicant must be a high-school senior or older, live within 100 miles of a Shopko store, and be enrolled or planning to enroll in a two or four year college or university, or a vocational-technical school. This scholarship is offered to full-time students only. To apply, visit Shopko’s website or your local Shopko store.

Additional Scholarship Options

There are many other scholarships available for those attending school in Nevada. Your financial status, ethnic background and academic capabilities can all factor into what financial aid you can take advantage of. Talk to the colleges you are interested in, talk to your high-school counselor, and find out what aid you may be eligible for. No one should have to forego an education because they cannot pay for it.